This invention relates to an ampule collector for collecting different kinds of injection ampules dispensed per prescriptions from ampule feeders for individual patients.
Ampule collecting devices used in hospitals to collect injection drug ampules prescribed for each patient are disclosed in unexamined Japanese patent publications 2-28416 and 2-28417, which are both filed by the applicant of this invention. In these devices, ampules that are different in size (extra large LL, large L, medium M, small S) and contain different kinds of injection drugs prescribed for each patient are selected and taken out of a cassette housing, put by sizes on a plurality of vertically arranged horizontal conveyors, transferred onto a vertical conveyor at the end of the delivery ends of the horizontal conveyors by a transfer means, and arranged and discharged by a setting means when they pass the highest point of the vertical conveyor.
The abovementioned transfer means temporarily stocks ampules received from the horizontal conveyors, and pushes up ampules one by one with a pusher onto the vertical conveyor. These ampule collecting devices can prepare ampules for a plurality of patients in a short time with high efficiency, because as soon as ampules for one patient are transferred onto the vertical conveyor, i.e. well before these ampules are discharged by the setting means, ampules for the next patient are selected and put on the conveyors.
These ampule collecting devices can transfer ampules for a plurality of patients efficiently in a sufficiently short time. But if the conveyor speed and the speed at which the pusher is pushed up are increased in an attempt to further shorten the ampule preparation time, ampules may be broken by the pusher. In order to prevent breakage of ampules, the pusher has to be pushed up at a relatively slow speed.
With the transfer means or setting device, ampules are transferred between members having different heights, so that ampules tend to be broken by colliding against each other or against parts of the device even if the feed speed is low. These devices need many parts such as cassette trays, horizontal conveyor, transfer means, vertical conveyor, setting means, etc and are naturally complicated in structure and bulky.
An object of this invention is to provide an ampule collector which is free of these problems, and which can collect and discharge ampules efficiently in a short time without breakage and clogging of ampules.